Are there any plans for future Steinberg hardware or daw/midi-controllers?
In all of the recent versions of Cubase, this is still something I miss - hardware that feels like it’s made for Cubase, the same way the Novation SL Mk3 or the Push 3 and Ableton Live fit together. Something really seamless.
Anything on the horizon?
In my situation, I bounce between Ableton Live and Cubase. I have a Novation Launchpad Pro and SL Mk3 keyboard, which make for wonderful hands-on integration with Live (and other hardware). There are several workarounds for using the SL Mk3 in Cubase with the Surface Editor, as any other controller, but I find it clunky and convoluted at best, and not capable of the same tight-knit integration. It is particularly obvious when comparing the experience with the same hardware between the two daws.
Have to say I was happy seeing the CC121 work with Sequoia when I tested it a while back. Not tried it with C14 yet but hopefully support hasn’t been dropped.
If only they were still available! They seemed to have been popular or good at what they were intended for. Would be great to see a CC121 Mk2, or the same controls attached to a keyboard
Tried my script for Cubase? I don’t want to go into comparisons with how SL MK3 works on Live since I never actually use it (though I do own a copy and checked the MK3 in it), but I got this comment from a Live user:
Yes I have been using your script for some time now. It’s a really impressive integration with Cubase, and I thank you very much for your dedication, the countless hours it must have taken, and the detailed documentation you provided. You should be on the Steinberg payroll.
Your implementation has taken the SL Mk3 more or less as far as it can go in Cubase, but it remains clear (to me) that it is a controller designed for Ableton Live. It’s true that your integration, in many respects, is “deeper” (as the comment you quoted states) in Cubase - the way it adapts to 3rd party plug-ins is impressive - however, it is still not as “clean” as it is with Live, if that makes sense, simply because the SL Mk3 is physically laid out for Live and the features of Live as a DAW. As a regular user of both, the SL Mk3 is more intuitive and seamless in Ableton.
I’m sure if you put your implementation ingenuity into designing a physical controller dedicated to Cubase, the end product would be different to the SL Mk3. Especially now with Cubase 14.
I am lucky and grateful that you have laid out implementation for the keyboard I just so happen to have. It would take me countless hours to even begin to learn how to do what you’ve done with the implementation (I’ve no idea!), and while it’s great that it’s possible, it’s time that I would prefer to spend in Cubase for it’s intended purpose - making music.
I think that in short I can say I would just like to see Steinberg’s take on an SL Mk3, or a new take on the CC121.
I understand this. And yes, it’s true that I would prefer some things in the layout to be added or different. For example, I find the absence of a jog wheel really bad for my workflow. Also, the absence of some dedicated transport buttons (for example Metronome, Punch In/Out and other). I DID implement them but I have to agree that for example needing to hold “Options” and then press the “Record” button to toggle Metronome, is not the best we can have. But then, it was the best I could do…
Certainly. For a start I would have proper faders, i.e. motorized, then all the necessary transport buttons plus jog, more encoders, a whole section dedicated to quick controls implementations, and displays for everything. Every now and then I browse the internet for something like this, I haven’t found something yet, and I’m talking strictly about the midi keyboards area, not controllers.
Thanks, yeah I remember looking at the P1 controller a while ago (although the Panorama series was originally intended for Reason users) it still looked like an interesting option.
With that being said… I still think a Cubase-specific tool would be light years better. I feel like there is huge potential for a powerful device. I keep imagining a device built for Halion, built for Groove Agent, with the seamless integration in the Cubase environment. Maybe with Cubase having somewhat of an identity crisis, it’s not the right time.
As a footnote, I started using Cubase about 20 years ago, and Ableton Live about 3-4 years ago. There are really only two reasons I use Ableton Live at all: (a) the Session View workflow (and some minor midi tools within it), and (b) the hardware integration. I would love to stick with Cubase.
